(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for clamping a panel for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus which can clamp a panel, such as a tailgate and a trunk lid, regardless of dimension and surface curvature of the panel. The present apparatus can, thus, clamp panels having different sizes and shapes according to the vehicle model.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, twenty to thirty thousand components are sequentially assembled during the manufacture a vehicle.
Particularly, after panels are manufactured through various press apparatus, the panels are then transported to a vehicle body factory at a first stage of a vehicle manufacturing process. The panels are assembled together so as to form a vehicle body of a body in white (B.I.W) shape.
In an assembly factory, a side panel, a roof panel, a rear panel, and so on are first mounted to a floor of the vehicle body through a main body process. Thereafter, the vehicle body is painted through a painting process, followed by assembling an engine, a transmission, and interior and exterior materials thereto.
In particular, each panel forming the vehicle body is manufactured through pressing. After the panels are settled on and secured by a clamping apparatus, the panels are assembled, welded, hemmed, and so on in a vehicle body factory, followed by the painting process.
Since the panels, however, have different shapes and sizes according to the particular vehicle model, it is difficult to use a single conventional clamping apparatus. Therefore, individual clamping apparatus are typically required for various vehicle models.
If individual clamping apparatus are used, costs are incurred for either adjusting the clamping apparatus or for manufacturing a new clamping apparatus when a new vehicle model is manufactured. In addition, this can result in the structure of the clamping apparatus becoming more complex.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.